


january 2018

by loonyBibliophile



Series: new traditions (a life for you and me) [5]
Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Ambiguous Relationships, Fluff, Multi, New Year's Eve, Recreational Weed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-30
Updated: 2018-12-30
Packaged: 2019-09-30 11:01:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17222786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/loonyBibliophile/pseuds/loonyBibliophile
Summary: “Isn’t the little spit of days between Christmas and New Years just the weirdest?” Betty asked, late in the afternoon on December 26th. She was stretched out on the living room floor, typing away on her laptop, while Jughead stared intently at a pile of pages he’d printed out to edit by hand.





	january 2018

“Isn’t the little spit of days between Christmas and New Years just the weirdest?” Betty asked, late in the afternoon on December 26th. She was stretched out on the living room floor, typing away on her laptop, while Jughead stared intently at a pile of pages he’d printed out to edit by hand. 

“Yeah, it is. It’s not enough days for a real rest between holidays, but it’s a long enough break to feel weird. Plus, we’re all still on winter break.” Jughead added, tapping his pen again one of his pages, making a face “Hey, Betts, come tell me if this needs to be an em-dash or not.” 

“Yes, exactly!” Betty said with a nod, pulling herself up from the floor and peering over Jughead’s shoulder. Her eyes scanned the page, looking over the block of text Jughead pointed out “No, I think you’re good.”

“Thanks. Oh, hey, speaking of holidays, what are we doing for New Year’s Eve? Anything?” Jughead looked up and Betty, who shrugged, plopping down onto the couch beside him. 

“I wasn’t sure you’d want to? I know you aren’t big on parties, and New Year’s Eve is kind of _the_ party.” she rested her chin on Jughead’s shoulder, watching him scribble notes in the margins of whatever work he was editing. 

“I think something small with our friends would be okay, if we can keep Cher and Ron under control.” Jughead smirked slightly, glancing at Betty over his shoulder. 

“Inner circle only, as my girl V would say.” Betty offered wryly, giving Jughead a smile. 

“Yeah. Her and Cheryl, and Toni of course. Kevin and Joaquin, maybe Toni’s friends Sweet Pea and Fangs.” Jughead rifled through his pages, finding the cover sheet to show Betty was he was working on. 

“A lowkey, inner circle, New Year’s Eve hang.” Betty said with a nod, taking the offered sheet from Jughead’s hands and grinning “Oh! You’re working on the article you want to submit to The Sun! Do I finally get to read it?”

“You’ll be my final editing pass, obviously. If you don’t mind. I wouldn’t trust anyone else.” Jughead smiled at her over his shoulder again, and she gave him a one armed hug around the waist. 

“Of course, Jug. I’m going to go talk to Ronnie. See you in a bit.” Betty squeezed her friend’s arm before getting up and vanishing down the hall into Veronica’s room. She’d gotten back from out of town early that morning, as neither her or Cheryl really spent more time than necessary with either of their families. In true Veronica fashion, she was sprawled across the bed in a red silk robe— a Christmas gift from Cheryl, Betty had no doubts— and reading The Wall Street Journal.

“Hey, B.” she called without looking up, folding the paper in half. 

“Hey.” Betty said warmly “Let’s talk New Year’s Eve.”

“Oooh!” Veronica’s eyes lit up, and she pulled herself up to a proper sitting position “Are we doing something?”

“Yes, but don’t get too excited. It needs to be small. Strictly inner circle only, small. You, Cher, Toni, Kev, Joaquin, and maybe Sweets and Fangs if you just need to invite more people.” Betty crossed her arms, looking harshly at the other girl. Veronica arched an eyebrow. 

“And why are we being so exclusive?” she asked. 

“Because, V, you know Jughead and I made a pact about traditions and holidays, but he’s not a big party person, and I want him to be comfortable.” Betty softened slightly, settling onto Veronica’s bed beside her “Please? I just want a small, nice little party with the people I care about. With my family.”

“Oh, B, you know I can never say no to those big green eyes.” Veronica sighed dramatically, already picking up her phone. “But Toni can bring cookies, right?”

“I don’t think that will be a problem.” Betty said with a chuckle, before giving Veronica a squeeze and heading back out into the main part of the apartment. 

Planning the party was simple, because it was relatively small. Betty had decided she wasn’t cooking anything, after her massive Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, so Veronica and Cheryl were funding Postmates deliveries with hearty holiday tips. Joaquin and Kevin had volunteered to bring chips and dips, Toni’s friends had brought non-champagne booze, and Toni had brought the most important party supply: her famous weed cookies. No one baked edibles like Toni. She was a magician. Cheryl was bringing some terrifyingly old and expensive bottle of champagne she’d taken out of her parents’ wine cellar over the holidays. 

The first thing anyone did when they arrived was break into Toni’s cookies, so by the time the night started getting late, they would all be pleasantly hazy. Betty wouldn’t really haved called herself a stoner, but she certainly didn’t mind partaking once in awhile to get the anxious whine in the back of her head to take a nap and let her enjoy herself more fully. Jughead felt more or less the same way, although he’d been more hesitant about things at first, which Betty understood. He talked to her a lot about his family, and his dad and grandfather both had suffered deeply from substance abuse problems. Betty may or may not have cracked a few skulls when she thought people were being too pushy with him. By ten pm, everyone was pleasantly stoned, sprawled out around the living room, a playlist of Jughead’s creation coming low from the speakers as they all chatted animatedly about what to do.

“No!” Betty shouted, giggling “No, Cheryl, we are not playing truth or dare, we are _adults_.”

“B, baby, I love you, but you’re wearing a romper. You can’t play the adult card in a romper.” Cheryl said emphatically, squeezing Betty’s shoulders.

“It’s the only gold thing I own! You set the dress code! I am not at fault here!” Betty practically shrieked, dissolving into giggles again as she leaned back and into Jughead, who was watching the entire scene, silent and amused. 

“I think it looks just fetching on her.” Veronica drawled from her spot, draped over Toni’s lap. 

“Keep it in your pants, Lodge. Leave the single ladies to those of us who don’t already have two smoking hot girlfriends.” Sweet Pea complained from the couch, where he was trying ardently to kick Joaquin’s ass at Smash Brothers and failing. 

“Pea, I love you, but no.” Betty said with a laugh, settling further into Jughead until she was basically sitting in is lap with one of his arms tugged around her. 

“Oooh, swing and a miss!” Fangs shouted, hissing playfully as he took a draw from the bottle of beer dangling from his fingers. 

“Plus, we all know who Betty’s heart truly belongs to..” Kevin started, before Betty shot him a dirty look and hurled an empty potato chip bag at his head “Sport, from the classic film Harriet the Spy, the childhood love of her life. Obviously. That’s definitely what I was about to say.” he redirected, grinning evilly at Betty while Veronica and Cheryl cackled in the background. 

“Come on, Juggie, we’re taking a break from these hooligans. I want to go to the roof, and we are taking the last bag of sweet chili doritos!” Betty cried triumphantly, pulling herself and then Jughead to her feet, and snagging the bag between two silver polished fingers. 

“Wait, wait,” Jughead said suddenly, throwing his arms out “We should also take chocolate.”

“I knew you were my favorite for a reason.” Betty said affectionately, reaching back to pat the side of Jughead’s face. 

Snacks in tow, and with Betty’s hand loosely clinging to Jughead’s elbow, the pair made their way to the elevator, and then the stairs leading out to the roof. It was empty, everyone forgoing the view to stay inside where it was warm and brightly lit. Betty frowned slightly as she settled onto the cold tile of the roof. 

“We should have brought blankets.” Betty said, sticking her lower lip out in a slight pout “It’s cold!”

“Yeah, Betts, it’s January.” Jughead said with a chuckle. He sat down beside her and tossed an arm around her shoulder, pulling her in close to share his body heat. She nudged one of his knees, and Jughead understood easily, letting his legs fall open so Betty could tuck herself between them, against his chest. They didn’t sit like this often, Betty was very aware of how intimate it was. It wasn’t really how you sat with a friend, even if you were close. But Betty was fond of the few times Jughead had let her nestle into him this way, surrounded by his warmth and comforting soap and coffee smell. 

“Mm, much better.” Betty said quietly, turning slightly sideways to lean her head against Jughead’s shoulder. “Minus my poor ears. I’m not dressed for this.” she said with a laugh, dropping a bag of chips to the floor to rub her ears, which stung with cold. Jughead looked at her oddly for a moment, but before she could ask what was wrong, he reached up and tugged his beanie off. Without saying anything, he slipped it over her hair, down over the tips of her ears, and offered her a shy smile. 

The two sat in silence then, staring out at the blinking lights of Portland as they munched on Doritos and fancy truffles Cheryl had brought with her. Betty could still feel the hum of Toni’s cookies in her body, and she leaned into the warm, cottony feeling of being high with her favorite person sitting safely behind her. Occasionally, they chat, exchanging laughs and shrieks about things they’d done over the year, books they read, movies they saw. They’re in the middle of a somewhat heated discussion about Bladerunner 2049 when Betty’s phone buzzes with a text from Veronica, informing them that it’s nearly midnight. 

“Hey,” Betty says quietly “We did it. A whole year of new traditions.” she smiled up at him.

“Yeah, looks like we did.” Jughead replied, nodding, causing Betty’s loose waves to shift against the back of her neck. 

“You know what my favorite part of this year was?” Betty asked, her voice barely even a whisper, her breath visible in the cold night air. 

“What?” Jughead asks, raising an eyebrow as he smiles down at her again. 

“You were.” Betty whispered, her eyes wide and serious. Jughead didn’t say anything, staring at her for a moment, eyes and face soft, before tucking a hand beneath her chin and pulling her up into a kiss. His nose was cold against hers, but his lips were warm, and so were his hands, and the steady weight of his chest behind her. 

Silently, without fanfare, the clock on Betty’s phone flashes 12:00AM.

**Author's Note:**

> and here's the nye installment!! had to whip this out really quickly before i go out of town for the holiday! i meant to write more of an ending to this particular bit but... i ended up really liking this end note. next up is our final installment: valentine's day! ;P


End file.
